National Current Affairs

Government will soon expand operation of Logistics Data Bank (LDB) project to India’s southern region. So far, it had covered only the western logistics corridor.

Logistics Data Bank (LDB) project was unveiled in July 2016 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai with an aim to bring efficiency in the current Logistics & Supply Chain environment through use of information technology that would be helpful for tracking and viewing the movement of containers across the port.

The LDB is being implemented through a Special Purpose Vehicle called Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Logistics Data Services Ltd. (DLDSL)— that is jointly (50:50) owned by the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) Trust and Japanese IT services major NEC Corporation.

NITI Aayog announced partnership with six states (with three states for health sector reforms and three states for education sector reforms) under its Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital (SATH) initiative.

NITI Aayog has selected Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Karnataka to improve healthcare delivery and key outcomes in these States.

For Education sector, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Jharkhand have been selected for support to better learning outcomes.

Government constitute committee to make drugs more affordable

The committee will suggest ways to make pricing policy in favour of poor patients.

The committee would also review the scope of Drugs (Price Control) Order 2013 and suggest ways for strengthening the regulatory provisions of the order.

The panel will also look at procedural improvements and process of re-engineering in NPPA to ensure better and quicker implementation of the government policy.

It will bring greater transparencyso as to reduce litigations and review petitions.

Kerala, Haryana top sanitation survey

Bihar and Uttar Pradesh has least access to toilets compared to other states.

Northeastern States of Sikkim, Manipur and Nagaland were top performers with 95% rural households covered by toilets.

The Himalayan States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand with over 90% toilet coverage of the rural houses

In Bihar, only 30% of the rural households had access to toilets while Uttar Pradesh was marginally better at 37%

Jharkhand has also scored the same as Uttar Pradesh.

International Current Affairs

India ratifies 2nd commitment period of Kyoto Protocol

India’s Permanent Mission to the Unmentioned that India deposited its Instrument of Acceptance of the Doha Amendment to the Kyoto Protocol under the UN Convention on Climate Change.

India has submitted instrument of acceptance of Doha Amendment to Kyoto Protocol.

India has become the 80th country to accept the amendment relating to the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, the international emissions reduction treaty.

India ranks 43rd in Global Retirement Index

The index ranks total 43 countries on the basis of four factors:
(a)The material means to live comfortably in retirement (Material Well-being)
(b) Access to quality health services (Health)
(c) Access to quality financial services to help preserve savings value and maximize income (Finances)
(d) Clean and safe environment (Quality of Life)

The top three countries in 2017 GRI are Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland.

The 43 countries include members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), International Monetary Fund (IMF) advanced economies and the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China).

The purpose of the index is to provide a global benchmark for retirees and future retirees so that they can evaluate and compare the suitability of various nations, and plan their retirement according to their expectations and needs